Artwork
Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve
Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve is an oil painting by the Impressionist artist Hans Smidth. It dates from 1900 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Overview
Pastor Søren blows out the candle on New Year's Eve is a 1900 oil painting by Danish artist Hans Smidth, characterized by a somber, dimly lit interior scene with three men around a table.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a poignant moment of transition, as Pastor Søren extinguishes a candle on New Year's Eve, observed by two other men. The somber atmosphere may symbolize reflection on the passing of time.
Technique & Style
Smidth utilized chiaroscuro to create depth and dimensionality, emphasizing contrasts between light and dark. The muted color palette reinforces the somber mood, aligning with impressionist tendencies in its capturing of a fleeting moment.
History & Provenance
Created in 1900 by Hans Smidth (1839-1917), the painting is part of the Statens Museum for Kunst collection, reflecting Smidth's focus on depicting rural Jutland life and its inhabitants.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Hans Ludvig Smidth (2 October 1839, Nakskov – 5 May 1917, Frederiksberg) was a Danish painter. He is remembered above all for his paintings of Jutland and its local inhabitants.
Den gamle mand ved spedelyset
Den gamle mand ved spedelyset
Philemon and Baucis
Philemon and Baucis
Saloon
The Pancake Maker
Philemon and Baucis
Frierens besøg
Runonlaulajat, öljyvärimaalaus, luonnos, n.1890-1900
Le Souper chez misère
In Front of a Church
Pastor Sören blows out the candle on the New Year's Eve